Gina's Observatory - The Build

[Gina]

Sunny periods and frequent heavy showers today. With this weather and having the roll off over the warm room (to let the tarp cover better) there seems practically nothing I can do.

I've ordered roofing for the warm room which is due to arrive tomorrow but I'll need some dry weather to dry everything out and give me time to put it on. With the very strong winds the tarp has been rubbing on the timber ends and got holed in spite of my best efforts to pad the ends to stop the rubbing. This has allowed some rainwater to get inside. Not a lot but enough to make everything damp with a couple of puddles on the floor. The rain is very heady in the showers.

[yesyes]

One question, Gina. I've been wondering how you connected the timber of the wall frames. I can't see any brackets or anything....

[Gina]

One question, Gina. I've been wondering how you connected the timber of the wall frames. I can't see any brackets or anything....

The framework is all held together with wood screws and coach bolts.

[Gina]

That cheapish (£25) lightweight tarp I bought a while back is just not up to the job in this exposed location so I've ordered a heavy duty one costing three times as much. Bit bigger too as my present one isn't wide enough to totally enclose the building. My OH is paying half as he wants to use it when I've finished with it.

[Freff]

Sunny periods and frequent heavy showers today. With this weather and having the roll off over the warm room (to let the tarp cover better) there seems practically nothing I can do.

I've ordered roofing for the warm room which is due to arrive tomorrow but I'll need some dry weather to dry everything out and give me time to put it on. With the very strong winds the tarp has been rubbing on the timber ends and got holed in spite of my best efforts to pad the ends to stop the rubbing. This has allowed some rainwater to get inside. Not a lot but enough to make everything damp with a couple of puddles on the floor. The rain is very heady in the showers.

The worry of my tarp ripping has been my big fear.

I have managed to G clamp the tarp taut to most of timber ends, this has stop it rubbing.

[Gina]

The worry of my tarp ripping has been my big fear.

I have managed to G clamp the tarp taut to most of timber ends, this has stop it rubbing.

Yes, I'm using G clamps to help hold the tarp down. The weather still had it's way though When the weather permits, I think I shall either round off the corners or make some special pads that I can fix on. We are very exposed here and the wind has been near gale force in the gusts today and yesterday. We have also had very heavy showers.

[Gina]

Looks like another day of showers though so far only light rain, together with sunny periods. The holes in the tarp have got a lot bigger overnight But fortunately the worst ones are down wind.

I've decided to try and do whatever I can with the tarp on today. I'm fed up with the lack of progress, particularly with the weather telling me that winter is on it's way!

I've been taking the floorboards up in the warm room and will probably continue into the obsy. I'm pretty sure of what I need in timber to finish off the above floor construction, so I can finish off the noggins between the joists. I also want to apply wood preserver to all the joists, noggins and floorboards, but some of them are rather damp ATM. Just hoping the weather will let them dry off. I think I'll take the floorboards up into the big shed to dry off and then work on - it's alright working under the tarp with the floorboards in place but not very easy with loads of joists, noggins and beams to navigate.

A big contributory factor to wet joists and floorboards has been the wind driving the rain up under the bottom of the tarp. It could really do with the tarp held down right onto (or under) the ground - ATM the rope around the edge is fastened under the joists and there's a gap between the tarp edge and the ground. This is fine usually but not with driving rain.

[fwm891]

Do you have any sacrificial sheets of anything (hardboard etc) you can temp clamp or nail to the windward side to keep the worst of the weather out?

Failing that put your shiplap on the windward side(s) and leave the others open for easier access.

You can then work on your flooring in relative comfort!!

Francis

[fwm891]

We've all been giving lots of advice to Gina since this started anyone up for giving some physical stuff to give Gina a hand to get this watertight! I've retired so can get there anytime weekday or W.E.

With Gina's permission of course...

[yesyes]

I was thinking of that many times... If it wasn't so far and if I had the time, I'd be up for it... :-)

[Freff]

I'd be up for it, do anything for tea and chocolate hobnobs.

[Freff]

Looks like another day of showers though so far only light rain, together with sunny periods. The holes in the tarp have got a lot bigger overnight But fortunately the worst ones are down wind.

I've decided to try and do whatever I can with the tarp on today. I'm fed up with the lack of progress, particularly with the weather telling me that winter is on it's way!

I've been taking the floorboards up in the warm room and will probably continue into the obsy. I'm pretty sure of what I need in timber to finish off the above floor construction, so I can finish off the noggins between the joists. I also want to apply wood preserver to all the joists, noggins and floorboards, but some of them are rather damp ATM. Just hoping the weather will let them dry off. I think I'll take the floorboards up into the big shed to dry off and then work on - it's alright working under the tarp with the floorboards in place but not very easy with loads of joists, noggins and beams to navigate.

A big contributory factor to wet joists and floorboards has been the wind driving the rain up under the bottom of the tarp. It could really do with the tarp held down right onto (or under) the ground - ATM the rope around the edge is fastened under the joists and there's a gap between the tarp edge and the ground. This is fine usually but not with driving rain.

I feel your pain Gina. Fortunately I was able to get the walls up before the weather closed in.

The roof is still very vulnerable with the OSB only tacked on, and the risk of the wind lifting the lot.

I have managed to keep the tarp down by using nearly 24 clamps in one form or another. The clamps are keeping the tarp taut and not allowing it to rub. The sides are just held down with weights. Before this I use 4 4"x4"x 8' timbers on the roof to hold the tarp. The wind under the tarp threw them off like tooth picks.

Although mine is reality waterproof now, the floor is still not down. I still have to finish running the electrics and black pipe for the control cables under the joist.

I find working on dry open joists a challenge, so I don't envy you on wet ones. TAKE CARE.

[fwm891]

I'd be up for it, do anything for tea and chocolate hobnobs.

Tea no sugar (Lord or otherwise) I prefer Bourbons but beggars etc...

[Freff]

Tea no sugar (Lord or otherwise) I prefer Bourbons but beggars etc...

You're just a snob..

[yesyes]

Earl Grey. Hot.

[Gina]

Thanks very much for your offers of help everyone I'll think about it but I think I'm OK now The weather has improved considerably - the wind has gone right down and we've had no rain this afternoon.

Taken up all the floorboards now and carried them into the goat shed out of the weather. Will move them into the big shed later where I can apply wood preservative once they've dried. Quite wet on the ends that faced the wind and rain!

Also treated most of the joists with wood preservative. The eastern half or three-quarters of the joists were dry - it's only the end/side that faces into the weather that got wet. With dry weather and a light breeze, the remaining joists dried off quite quickly with the floorboards up. I have now done all but the western ends of the joists with Ronseal Total Wood Preserver.

The tarp problem will be sorted out Monday or Tuesday - I have a larger, heavy duty one on order from a Devon based firm. Could even come tomorrow - I ordered it yesterday.

I'm planning to soak the ends of the floorboards and any newly cut ends in wood preserver. All the installed timber will get a good brushing with preserver.

[fwm891]

You're just a snob..

I dunk digestives too

The offers there Gina - just shout...

Stand Your joist ends in a bucket of preserver for a few minutes and let them soak in as much as poss

[Gina]

The offers there Gina - just shout...

Thank you, much appreciated

Stand Your joist ends in a bucket of preserver for a few minutes and let them soak in as much as poss

Bit late for that now, unless you expect me to undo a couple of dozen screws. Except, that is, for one warm room joist that was just placed in position until I was sure of exactly where it wanted to go. I can soak the ends of that. Also, a short piece of joist the other side used to extend one of the joists - that's not fixed either. And the noggins I'm cutting to size now are also due for a good dunking. In fact one's sitting in preserver right now.

The rubber roofing for the warm room roof has arrived this afternoon. Looks good Much easier to handle than roofing felt, it's soft and pliable

[Gina]

Several timber ends now soaked in wood preservative

Also, been painting preservative on various bits of the framework in addition to finishing all the joists. Expecting a fine night and morning tomorrow, I have taken the tarp off. I've also cleared up anything that could be blown away if the wind should get up again.

I checked the roll off trolley and found I could move it easily with my little finger, so I've tied it down with rope so it can't take off in the night. Of course it will be a lot heavier when completed with more timbers and corrugated bitumen on top.

Taken some photos today which I'll sort out and post later...

[Gina]

Once the light showers stopped the weather was quite good today so made some reasonable progress.

1. Took up floorboards.

2. Moved floorboards to shed to dry out.

3. Treated joists and noggins with wood preserver.

4. Treated parts of above floor frameworks with wood preserver.

5. Soaked ends of yet-to-be-fixed timber in preserver.

6. Removed tarp to gain access to other timbers.

7. Cleared up and roped down the roll off section in case the wind gets up again.

Now for some photos... The rectangular white object visible in some of the photos is a sheet of polystyrene insulation that will be going between the joists of the warm room.

We'll start with the dawn this morning and finish with dusk this evening complete with the waxing moon.

[Gina]

Been thinking more about inviting help with my build. I didn't reject the offers out-of-hand and certainly didn't want to offend anyone. I think we might have a gathering here when I get the shiplap Make it a bit of a social event if you like - assuming you all were serious. ATM there isn't much I could use help for.

I shall be sorting out just how much shiplap I want and putting an order in shortly - I haven't done that yet. I didn't want to have too much timber hanging about and obstructing the shed plus it isn't good to have timber lying around without being properly supported. I have now used most of the first/main batch of timber and have room for the shiplap.

We'll be going to Taunton to pick up corrugated bitumen roofing and a few other odds and ends from Wickes in the next couple of weeks and help putting that up on the roll off roof would be welcome.

Tim, my OH is happy for me to get help

[Gina]

Very cold this morning but dry so far. Been applying more wood preserver and also sorting out the timber for the warm room roof trims. Not sure what the weather's going to do - rain is forecast but we'll see.

[fwm891]

Been thinking more about inviting help with my build...

...Tim, my OH is happy for me to get help

Shout Gina - couple of days notice would be nice - perhaps with a weather window.

Francis

[Gina]

Shout Gina - couple of days notice would be nice - perhaps with a weather window.

Francis

Yes, that's fine And like you say, the weather wants to be fine too.

[Freff]

Same here just give the word.

I'm at the Salisbury SP on 27th-29th Oct other than that I should be free.